Slotted belt type cottontrash cleaner



P 1963 w. E. ROOD. JR 3,399,767

SLOTTED BELT TYPE COTTON-TRASH CLEANER Filed July 8, 1965 INVENTOR. WILLIAM E. ROOD, JR. BY

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,399,767 SLOTTED BELT TYPE COTTON- TRASH CLEANER William E. Rood, Jr., 1500 S. 7th St., Phoenix, Ariz. 85034 Filed July 8, 1965, Ser. No. 470,523 4 Claims. (Cl. 209-108) My invention relates to an improved cotton cleaner, and more particularly to a cotton cleaner in which cotton tufts are separated from sticks, twigs and other debris commonly known as trash by means of a specially formed and mounted belt having a plurality of transverse slots therein.

Since the advent of mechanical cotton pickers, a major problem has developed in the retrieval of down cotton. Down cotton is cotton which has been knocked to the ground by a mechanical cotton picker and is ordinarily unrecoverable thereby. A highly successful solution to the problems existent in recovery of down cotton is described in U.S. Patent No. 2,670,584. In the apparatus of that patent, a plurality of slotted belts ride over the ground in such a manner that cotton tufts on the ground are contacted by the slotted portion of the belts while the slots are open. As the belts travel around the pulleys on which they are mounted, the slots close, thereby grasping the cotton and lifting it to a waiting receptacle or conveyor means. This type of cotton gleaning raises a problem which is not as serious when hand labor is employed. The slotted belts employed in mechanical cotton gleaners usually pick up twigs, leaves and other trash which may be on the ground near the cotton tufts. This trash must be removed from the cotton in order to obtain the desired clean cotton products. Various means have been suggested for the removal of trash from recovered down cotton with varying and limited degrees of success. Typical of such proposed methods are apparatus which snag or impale cotton tufts to pull the cotton away from dirt or trash. Inherent in this type of apparatus is the possibility of damaging or tearing cotton fibers which would overly shorten the average product fiber length.

It is therefore a principal object 'of my invention to provide an apparatus which will separate cotton tufts from dirt or trash.

It is another object of my invention to provide an apparatus which will separate cotton tufts from dirt or trash with minimum damage to the cotton fibers.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an apparatus which will separate cotton tufts from trash and dirt while imparting a centrifugal throwing action to the trash.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art in the course of the following specification and claims when taken in view of the accompanying drawings.

Briefly, my invention comprises a flexible, normally round, elliptically mounted, slotted belt mounted with its major axis at an angle greater than about forty degrees from the horizontal. Means is provided proximate to the bottom portion of said normally round, elliptically mounted belt to introduce a mixture of cotton and trash into contact therewith. Said means usually includes a roller positioned radially of the bottom pulley member supporting said elliptically mounted belt. Said means may 3,399,767 Patented Sept. 3, 1968 also include a large slotted belt of the type employed in cotton gleaners such as described in US. Patent No. 2,670,584, to carry gleaned cotton to the cleaning portion of my apparatus. Because of the elliptical mounting of my normally round, slotted belt, a substantially continuous arcuate motion is imparted to cotton tufts grasped thereby with a consequent centrifugal throwing of trash mixed therewith.

A better understanding of my invention may be obtained in view of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial side view illustrating an improved cotton cleaner in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view, slightly enlarged, of a normally round, elliptically mounted belt of my invention illustrating certain characteristics thereof in its normally round condition; and

FIG. 3 is a side view, slightly enlarged, of an elliptically mounted belt in accordance with my invention.

With reference to the drawings, a pickup belt 10 of the type described in US. Patent No. 2,670,584, is mounted on an upper pulley 11 and carries a mixture of cotton and trash generally designated by the reference character 12 in transverse slots 14 disposed thereon.

Cotton and trash from belt 10 are deposited on a roller 15 which is movable about an axle member 16 in the direction indicated by the arrow 18. Cotton and trash are thus introduced into contact with the flexible, elliptically mounted, normally round belt 19 which moves in the direction generally indicated by the arrow 20.

Cotton tufts from the mixture of cotton and trash 12 are grasped by the transverse slots 22 disposed on the belt 19. Because of the elliptical mounting of the belt 19, the cotton tufts 21 are carried in a continuous arcuate path. Trash ungrasped by the belt is centrifugally thrown from contact with the cotton tufts 21 throughout the course of travel of the tufts on the belt 19. As the belt 19 carrying cotton tufts'21 travels around the upper pulley member 23, the slots 22 open to discharge their cargo of COlZllOl'luBBCEiUSfi of the arcuate motion continuously imparted to the cotton tufts 21, as the tufts are released, they are thrown from the belts with considerably greater force than with previously known apparatus. The cotton tufts 21 are thrown tangentially upwardly and away from the elliptically mounted belt 19 and into an appropriate receptacle 24 or onto a conveyor means, as desired. Released cotton tufts 21 may follow a path such as indicated by the arrow 26; the belt may also be positioned to throw cotton over the top of the belt. A rotating paddle or brush member 27 is positioned to loosen and throw cotton tufts 21 which inadvertently may not be released by the belt 19 as it travels over its pulley member 23.

A majority of the trash separated and thrown from the cotton tufts 21 follows a path such as indicated by the arrow 28, but some of the trash may be thrown from the cotton tufts 21 by centrifugal force along the elliptically arcuate path of belt 19. If desired, an appropriate receptacle (not shown) may be positioned beneath the elliptically mounted belt 19 to catch and remove thrown trash.

With particular reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, belt 19 is formed of a flexible material and has a backing section 30 which may incorporate cords or fabric or the like for strength as well as flexibility. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the belt is formed having a circular cross section with a flexible rubber outer portion over the cord or fabric backing 30. The axial or transverse width of the belt is not critical to the invention and may be of substantially any width desired. With the belt 19 maintained in its substantially round circular form, slots 22 are cut into the flexible rubber portions thereof to the desired depth, but preferably not into the backing 30. The transverse slots 22 are of a minor width, generally corresponding to the thickness of the knife, saw or other instrument employed in their formation. Width of slots 22 is exaggerated somewhat in FIG. 2 for clarity. While discussion therein is primarily directed to a single normally round, elliptically mounted belt, it is to be understood that a plurality of such belts may be employed in substantially parallel relationship if desired.

In use, belt 19 is mounted over a pair of pulley members 23 which are preferably of the same diameter. At least one of the pulley members 23 should be operably connected to a source of rotary power in order to drive the belt. For clarity, the major axis of the elliptically mounted belt 19 in FIG. 3 has been designated as aa and the minor axis of the elliptically mounted belt 19 has been designated as b-b When the shape of the belt 19 is altered from round to elliptical, the slots 22 on the long sides of the ellipse are closed and the slots 22 along the short sides of the ellipse near the pulley member 23 are open.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, I prefer to position my elliptically mounted belt 19 with its major axis aa at an angle of about forty degrees or greater from the horizontal. When positioned thus, gravity assists in the separation of trash from cotton tufts in addition to the separation accomplished by the centrifugal force imparted to the trash by the arcuate motion of the belt.

Diameters of the pulley members 23 are not of critical significance in the described elliptical mounting of my belt. The opening and closing of the slots 22 in the belt 19 is dependent on the elliptical shape of the belt rather than on the diameters of the pulley members 23. I generally prefer an ellipse having a ratio of major axis (aa) to minor axis (bb) of from about 1.05 to about 1.25. When a ratio of less than about 1.05 is employed, insufficient closing of the slots 22 may result with an inadvertent premature throwing of cotton before the slots reach the desired release position. When a mjor to minor axis ratio of greater than about 1.25 is employed, the curvature of arcuate path through which cotton tufts travel while grasped by the belt 19 is reduced with a consequent reduction in centrifugal force imparted to undesirable trash. Excessive wear of the belt is a further problem encountered when ratios greater than about 1.25 are employed. A principal contribution to the art by the present invention is, as has been stated above, the imparting of a substantially greater centrifugal force to trash by the effect of the belt following an elliptical path. Slotted belts of the type described and claimed in US. Patent No. 2,670,584 have been mounted in a somewhat elliptical form, but the major to minor axis ratio is usually so much larger than 1.25 as to eliminate all of the unforeseen advantages gained by keeping the ratio in the range defined above. Another unexpected advantage achieved by utilizing a belt elliptically mounted within a ratio defined above is the fact that the slots in the belt, as the belt passes over a pulley, are only slightly opened and are thus considerably more selective in the transportation of cotton. Cotton comprises numerous small fibers each of which is exceedingly fine and each of which may be grasped by the belt even if the slot in the belt is almost imperceptible to the naked eye. To the contrary, trash such as grass, sticks, etc., do not have such fine fibers and the slots presented to the trash, in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, will reject the trash in favor of the cotton mixed therewith. Whatever trash may nevertheless be grasped by the belt, will be grasped much less firmly than the cotton and the centrifugal force acting upon the trash and cotton as the belt travels its elliptical path will cause the trash to be thrown from the belt while the more firmly grasped cotton will remain with the belt. The throwing action of the belt is enhanced by different masses of the cotton and trash, the former being fairly light while the latter is usually considerably more dense and thus heavier.

Roller 15 may be driven by power means attached to its axle member 16 or may be driven by the force supplied by cotton and trash passing between it and the elliptically mounted belt 19. I prefer that the roller member be driven at a rate such that its tangential velocity is greater than the tangential velocity of the belt 19 at their mutual points of closest proximity. When the roller 15 has a higher tangential velocity than belt 19, improved trash separation is obtained because the trash is given a higher initial velocity and is more easily thrown from the cotton tufts 21 carried by the belt. Ordinarily, roller 15 is spaced slightly from belt 19, but contact therebetween is permissible.

Various modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. It is to be understood that I limit myself only as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Cotton cleaning apparatus for separating trash from cotton tufts comprising:

(a) a flexible, normally round, elliptically mounted belt,

(b) said flexible belt mounted on first and second pulleys,

(c) major and minor axes of the ellipse formed by said flexible belt having a ratio of from about 1.05 to about 1.25,

(d) transverse slots disposed on the surface of said flexible belt, and

(e) means proximate to said flexible belt for introducing trash and cotton tufts into contact therewith, whereby cotton tufts are grapsed by said slots in said flexible belt and separated from said trash.

2. Cotton cleaning apparatus for separating trash from cotton tufts comprising:

(a) a flexible, normally round, elliptically mounted belt,

(b) said flexible belt mounted on first and second pul- *leys,

(0) major and minor axes of the ellipse formed by said flexible belt having a ratio of from about 1.05 to about 1.25,

(d) transverse slots disposed on the surface of said flexible belt, and

(e) roller means positioned proximate to said flexible belt near said first pulley for introducing trash and cotton tufts into contact with said belt, whereby cotton tufts are grasped by said slots and separated from said trash.

3. Cotton cleaning apparatus for separating trash from cotton tufts comprising:

(a1)? :1 flexible, normally round, elliptically mounted (bl) said flexible belt mounted on first and second pul- (0) major and minor axes of the ellipse formed by said flexible belt having a ratio of from about 1.05 to about 1.25, said major axis disposed at an angle greater than about 40 degrees from the horizontal,

(d) transverse slots disposed on the surface of said flexible belt, and

(e) roller means proximate to said flexible belt for introducing trash and cotton tufts into contact therewith, whereby cotton tufts are grasped by said slots in said flexible belt and separated from said trash.

4. Cotton cleaning apparatus for separating trash from cotton tufts comprising:

(a) a flexible, normally round, elliptically mounted belt,

(b) said flexible belt mounted on first and second pulleys,

(c) major and minor aXes of the ellipse formed by er than the tangential velocity of said flexible belt said flexible belt having a ratio of from about 1.05 at their mutual points of closest proximity, whereby to about 1.25, said major axis disposed at an angle cotton tufts are grasped by said slots in said flexible greater than about 40 degrees from the horizontal, belt a aid tr h is thrown th refrom.

(d) transverse slots disposed on the surface of said 5 flexible belt References Cited (e) roller means proximate to said flexible belt for in- UNITED STATES PATENTS troducing trash and cotton tufts into contact there- 3,173,544 3/ 1965 Rood 209 108 with, and (f) said roller means having a tangential velocity great- 10 FRANK W. LUTTER, Primary Examiner. 

1. COTTON CLEANING APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING TRASH FROM COTTON TUFTS COMPRISING: (A) A FLEXIBLE, NORMALLY ROUND, ELLIPTICALLY MOUNTED BELT, (B) SAID FLEXIBLE BELT MOUNTED ON FIRST AND SECOND PULLEYS, (C) MAJOR AND MINOR AXES OF THE ELLIPSE FORMED BY SAID FLEXIBLE BELT HAVING A RATIO OF FROM ABOUT 1.05 TO ABOUT 1.25, (D) TRANSVERSE SLOTS DISPOSED ON THE SURFACE OF SAID FLEXIBLE BELT, AND (E) MEANS PROXIMATE TO SAID FLEXIBLE BELT FOR INTRODUCING TRASH AND COTTON TUFTS INTO CONTACT THEREWITH, WHEREBY COTTON TUFTS ARE GRAPSED BY SAID SLOTS IN SAID FLEXIBLE BELT AND SEPARATED FROM SAID TRASH. 